Little Rock police chief sued again, totaling 4 retaliation lawsuits by LRPD staff

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Little Rock police chief Keith Humphrey is now the subject in four total lawsuits by his seven of his staff members.

All of them claim some form of retaliation stemming from testimonies made in officer Charles Starks’ favor after the shooting death of Bradley Blackshire in February 2019.

The newest addition is by Captain Marcus Paxton, who was in charge of the training division at the time of the shooting. His lawsuit filed Thursday claims retaliation for testimony officers under his command made in Starks' civil service commission hearing.

Starks was fired from the Little Rock police department after fatally shooting Bradley Blackshire in February 2019. But he was cleared of any criminal charges and in May 2019, a judge ordered the department to reinstate him.

Starks himself also filed similar litigation less than 24 hours prior.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Pulaski County says that he has faced retaliation by the City of Little Rock and the police chief since returning to work.

The 21-page suit lists evidence of a hostile work environment and retaliation linked to Starks' trial described in multiple other complaints filed against Humphrey.

The police department has reportedly failed to arrest people who have threatened to shoot Starks, according to the suit. And Humphrey allegedly tried to get Starks decertified by writing a letter to the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training that contained "falsehoods." In the complaint, Starks said he also faced public ridicule after a computer screen showing disciplinary complaints made against him was wrongfully released.

Spokespersons for the mayor and for the police department declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Earlier this month, the mayor ordered an independent review of the police department in response to the complaints made against the police chief. The Arkansas Attorney General's Office is also investigating Humphrey's conduct, according to an attorney for multiple Little Rock officers. A third investigation into Humphrey, by City of Little Rock Human Resources, was stopped on Tuesday.

The Little Rock Fraternal Order of Police are set to take a vote of no confidence for Humphrey next week.

In a statement Thursday, president Ronnie Morgan said, "With two new lawsuits in less than 24 hours, the havoc being caused by the Chief’s behavior continues to spread." Morgan goes on to add, "This is precisely why our members are currently actively voting on a resolution of no confidence. Our officers and the citizens of Little Rock deserve better. It’s imperative that City leaders act quickly to resolve this crisis."